BSNL Gains 55 Lakh Customers in Seven Months: Jyotiraditya Scindia
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Synopsis
BSNL has welcomed 55 lakh new customers over the last seven months, surpassing the 9.1 crore milestone. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighted this growth and discussed ongoing projects to enhance 4G and 5G services across India.
Key Takeaways
- BSNL added 55 lakh customers.
- Customer base exceeds 9.1 crore.
- 4G service expansion in rural areas.
- BSNL's profitability restored after 18 years.
- 5G rollout planned post 4G tower completion.
New Delhi, April 4 (NationPress) The public sector telecom giant BSNL has successfully increased its customer base by 55 lakh over the past seven months, surpassing the 9.1 crore mark, as reported to Parliament.
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia shared with the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that between June 2024 and February of this year, the number of BSNL customers grew from 8.55 crore to 9.1 crore. He noted that the public sector company returned to profitability during the October-December quarter after an 18-year hiatus, thanks to the policies of the Narendra Modi administration.
Additionally, he emphasized that BSNL is undertaking an essential project aimed at achieving comprehensive 4G mobile service saturation in underserved villages nationwide, which was approved by the Union Cabinet at a total investment of Rs 26,316 crore. This project also includes upgrading existing 2G BTS to 4G.
Furthermore, BSNL is enhancing the existing 2,343 2G BTS established under the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Phase-I initiative from 2G to 4G, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,884.59 crore.
Discussing advancements in self-reliance in the telecom industry, the minister stated that India has become the fifth nation globally to manufacture 4G network equipment. He mentioned that the Aatmanirbhar network is being deployed throughout the country.
Minister Scindia also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized that BSNL will utilize only swadeshi equipment for its 5G network rollout.
He mentioned that BSNL plans to commence 5G implementation after achieving its 4G objective of establishing 1 lakh towers. So far, approximately 73,326 towers have been completed, accounting for around 73 percent of the total project. The remaining work is expected to be finished soon.
Union Minister Scindia further stated that the rollout of 5G in India has been the swiftest worldwide, covering 99 percent of districts and 82 percent of the population over the past year.
Regarding the entry of Elon Musk's Starlink in India, which has established agreements with the country's telecom giants, the minister remarked that the gateway should remain open to all forms of technology to provide customers with a broader selection.
